I’ve always been interested in the adage, “Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” This aphorism was first said by German philosopher Fredrich Nietzsche in 1888. It’s become an overused and often parodied aphorism that still contains a grain of truth about resilience in overcoming adversity.
Another version of the aphorism is, “Whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stranger,” uttered by Heath Ledger’s role as the Joker in the Dark Knight Batman movie. That version sort of makes sense, too. I tend to think that whatever doesn’t destroy you, though, simply changes you. It could be a positive change or lead to a trauma that takes time to get past.
I was thinking of this recently while reading about the California band La Luz and listening to their new album, News of the Universe, released on May 24th via Sub Pop Records. La Luz has been through many changes over the years, some of which have been quite traumatic.
Led by writer, painter, and songwriter Shana Cleveland, the band formed in Seattle in 2012 and has released several critically acclaimed records. Known for a “surf noir” style, La Luz has always bordered between the mystical and natural worlds, with layered vocal harmonies and energetic live shows that include Soul Train-inspired dance contests and crowd surfing.
In 2013, the band was involved in a serious car accident while on tour supporting of Montreal. While traveling from Boise, Idaho, to Seattle, their tour van slipped on black ice and was hit by a semi-trailer track. Band members sustained injuries, and all of their instruments and merch were destroyed. It forced La Luz to cancel the remainder of their tour.
Yet, La Luz kept on keepin’ on. They released a great album, Weirdo Shrine, the following year (2015). Lead singer Shana Cleveland has been through significant life changes herself. Her haunting 2023 solo LP, Manzanita, was an ode and reflection on becoming a new mother. La Luz’s latest record is a reflection of Cleveland’s experience of having her world torn apart by a breast cancer diagnosis a mere two years after the birth of her son. It’s also a portrait of a band in flux, marking the first appearance for drummer Audrey Johnson and the final ones from longtime members bassist Lena Simon and keyboardist Alice Sandahl.
All of this adds a bittersweet edge to a beautiful new record that’s an elegy for an old world and a cosmic road map for a strange new one. Again, Cleveland and the band go through hard times, but whatever doesn’t kill them continues to change them. I imagine it’s making them stronger, too.
Musically, News of the Universe may be the group’s best record to date, distilling its previous successes into one strong effort. La Luz has always pulled heavily from Sixties psychedelia, but the new album adds new influences and melds them together seamlessly. Cleveland’s hazy vocal harmonies on songs like “Strange World” perfectly complement her often cryptic and poetic lyrics.
Songs like “Poppies” still have surf-rock sounds but are blended with a more mystical folk style. La Luz can still rock when they want to, too. “I’ll Go With You” blasts off with a washed-out guitar riff at first before settling into a warm psychedelia the band has become known for. “News of the Universe” is another track that propels forward at the beginning before Cleveland’s sweet-sounding vocals carry us away.
It should also be noted that the powerful sense of openness that permeates the new La Luz record is at least partially due to the fact that it’s an album entirely made by women. Female musicians handled performing, writing, producing, recording, engineering, and mastering, giving the album a twist of fierce feminine boldness. La Luz is a rarity in that it’s a psych-rock band comprised of all women of color forging a unique path. “There is something inherently and simultaneously sweet and brutal about womanhood,” says Cleveland. “That is something I hear on this record.”
Among other changes the band has been through, Cleveland and the group relocated to Los Angeles somewhere along the way and had an album produced by Ty Segall. Cleveland recently left the crowded confines of L.A. for a more rural part of California, which could help explain why News of The Universe and more recent La Luz works have mellowed out a bit and lost a harder edge.
We’re not complaining, though. La Luz is a band that continues to evolve, and it seems like each obstacle thrown in its path leads to even better art. That’s all we can ask for as music fans, really.
Check out News of The Universe by La Luz on Bandcamp here.
You can support La Luz by finding them on Bandcamp, their official website, or social media (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube).
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